Small businesses residing in US coastal regions are vulnerable to natural disasters. Since 1980, hurricanes have been a pressing concern, as at least one-third of disastrous weather events were due to hurricanes. In addition to the deaths and wreckage these hurricanes and similar weather events caused, small businesses were destroyed.
Many of these businesses had only one location, resulting in the shutdown of these businesses altogether. To prevent such detrimental outcomes, businesses must proactively implement safety planning protocols. By coping ahead, it is possible to safeguard the most critical components of small businesses so they may continue thriving in the aftermath of such extreme natural events.
Hurricanes create weather patterns that knock out small businesses. The small business site can easily get destroyed by heavy rains, fierce winds, or storm surges. To help you protect your business with safety interventions, here is the ultimate guide to storm planning for small businesses.
Essential Components Of Storm Planning
Specific steps that can be taken as essential components of your small business safety response plan and storm planning include:
- Asset protection with flood insurance
- An evacuation strategy and plan for implementation
- Property protection tasks that are addressed early on, such as roof inspections, repairs, and placing sandbags in areas likely to flood
File Paperwork Safely And Prepare Survival Kits
Businesses can take measures to protect sensitive data and important documents. Some steps for effective paperwork filing include storing tax records for safekeeping and taking photos of your business before storms occur. Preparing survival kits if workers cannot escape the workplace during a storm is also an essential step to take in advance of weather warnings. Your document-storing efforts should include hard and digital copies of the information you’ll need to retrieve after the storm has passed. Backing up data into the Cloud is an effective solution for most business information you’ll need safely stored.
Have A Post-Storm Plan Ready
Your storm planning should also include a post-storm plan so your small business can get up and running as quickly as possible. Some things to implement here include effective clean-up plans and purchasing and storing protective gear to prevent accidents during the cleaning and business reconstruction process.
How To Create A Storm Survival Kit
To create a survival kit, ensure you’ve included the basics, such as non-perishables (canned foods and ready-made meals), batteries, flashlights, and other essential survival items you’ll need. Phones, phone chargers, and other communication devices should also be on hand in the event of a hurricane or similar weather emergency. As part of your storm planning efforts, consider the staff size at your business and ensure enough supplies for everyone on your team.
Protect All Aspects Of Your Small Business In An Emergency
Protecting your small business and all who represent it are the two most critical goals of effective storm planning. For the best outcome, be mindful of including all elements of storm planning in the event of a storm-related emergency affecting your small business.
